Yanking Puppet Strings
by Vicky-V
Summary: He has the free will of a loose tongue. But sooner or later it'll cost something too great. ZarbonxRaditz. One shot.


**Pairing:** ZarbonxRaditz

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warning:** Shounen-ai.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in connection with Dragonball Z, nor do I make any money writing this fanfiction.

--

**Yanking Puppet Strings**

Although, overall, the planet clearing mission had gone well, an unexpectantly large defence around the rulers, which had turned out to be more powerful than expected, had slowed the Saiyans down. That, in turn, meant despite Frieza's purging orders being carried out, they faced ridicule from him for being too slow. And Saiyans weren't very good at biting their tongue.

After that, the training rooms built specially for Saibaman combat were abandoned, for no being was particularly fond of being around a Saiyan who is in a very foul mood. And no Saiyan in such a bad temper wants to be around any being at all, unless they're the sort with a severe death wish.

So when Raditz straightened up and sighed, becoming tired of being surrounded by the ashes of the mass-produced Saibamen, he was surprised to turn around and see a figure standing in the doorway. What surprised him even more was that, judging from the way he leaned against the doorway and the smudges of ash across his cheeks and armour, Zarbon had been there for a while.

Raditz opened his mouth to demand what Zarbon thought he was doing there, but never got the chance.

"Don't you Saiyans have _any_ sense?" Zarbon said, his glare hardening the moment he began speaking. "If you keep opening your mouths at the wrong time, you'll end up as a pile of ashes yourself."

"I thought you always gave your master more credit than that," Raditz said, flicking his tail to send another small cloud of dust into the air before winding it around his waist. "He won't find the power of the Saiyans anywhere else."

"You assume too much." Zarbon pushed himself away him the doorway and straightened up. "The planet you just came back from came rather close, didn't it? There is no being who isn't disposable."

"You include yourself in that?"

Zarbon's eyes narrowed. "I know when to speak and what to say when I do. That's why I survive to reach milestones of power you only see in your wildest dreams."

"I'm more a free man than you'll ever be."

With that, Raditz stepped forward to pass Zarbon. He wasn't sure how far he expected to get, but had taken no more than a step and a half before he was seized by the throat, spun around and held up against the wall with his feet off the ground.

"Don't _ever_ compare yourself to me in such a way!" Zarbon snarled, his eyes aflame with rage. "_This_ is exactly what will cause your death, Saiyan! The wrong word to the wrong mood and you will be no more. Everyone else gets it. How can even a Saiyan be lacking _that_ much sense?"

"I have the free will of a loose tongue," Raditz said, hardly able to hear himself through his heart pounding in his ears. Adrenaline raced through his body, alighting his Saiyan sense of challenge and battle. "What do you have? Puppet strings."

Raditz choked as Zarbon tightened his grip upon his throat and for a moment his lungs began to burn when he found he couldn't draw in any of the stuffy air around them.

"The wrong word to the wrong mood," Zarbon repeated, his words slow but laced with malice and venom. "And what loss is the weakest of the three Saiyans to Frieza? What does your loose tongue have in response to that?"

He relaxed his grip upon Raditz's throat so he may draw in a ragged breath and answer.

"Who else but a Saiyan would put up with you like I have?"

Zarbon's hold on Raditz's throat tightened again, so hard and fast the Saiyan was unable to make any noise as his air was cut off again.

"That _never_ gave you any liberties."

Raditz's lungs burned again, the painful sensation coming so suddenly his eyes were forced closed. He half-opened one, expecting Zarbon to loosen his grip and leave him with an icy warning. But it didn't happen. Zarbon met and held his eye, his glare furious and for a second Raditz was sure he saw his pupils narrow into reptilian slits.

Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, because darkness was beginning to creep into the edges of his vision. He felt his nerves flare as Zarbon's fingernails pierced deeply through his flesh. His body was filled with the need to survive and he was certain he was fighting back. But it seemed Zarbon hadn't moved.

---

It took much longer than Zarbon expected, but the Saiyan's struggles soon died down until the only movements were the occasional twitches of his limbs.

He finally released his grip upon Raditz's throat and watched as his body fell with a thud upon the floor. He reached up and pushed a small button upon the control panel of his scouter, keeping an eye on the rising and falling of Raditz's chest.

"West medical wing," cracked a tired voice.

"One of the Saiyans is unconscious in training chamber twelve," Zarbon said, listening to the surprised squeak and cough of the medical staff on the other end as his voice was recognised. "I suggest you come and get him immediately. If he dies, so will you."

_**END**_


End file.
